Explosive device



WIENER EXPLOSIVE DEVICE March 946.

- Filed June 1945 NVENTOR.

v BERNARD A. WIENER' .L .1115 ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 19, 1946 EXPLOSIVE DEVICE Bernard A. Wiener, Washington, D. C.

Application June 3, 1943, Serial No. 489,459

3 Claims. (Cl. 114-221) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1,928; 370 O. G. 757) The invention relates to improvements in cable or chain parting devices and more particularly to an explosive device adapted to be carried by a mine sweeping cable.

The usual procedure in sweeping mines is to drag or tow more or less horizontally through the water, a cable equipped with cutting devices, at such depth that the towed cable will intercept the vertical cables by which explosive mines are commonly anchored below the water surface. The towed cable may be stretched between two towing craft, or one end of the cable may be carried by a paravane or water kite. When the towed cable and a mine mooring cable engage, the latter slides along the towed or sweep cable until a cutting device is reached. When the mooring cable is cut, the freed mine, due to its buoyancy, rises to the surface of the water, where it is destroyed or otherwise disposed of.

At the present time,however, many mines are moored by chains and the existing cutters are not suitable for severing chains. Since the chains are subjected to longitudinal tension due to the buoyancy of the mines and to dynamic forces upon engagement of a sweep cable therewith, a lateral explosive blowwhich is sudden and concentrated within a restricted area will break the chain.

An important object of the invention is to provide an explosive device for parting a cable or chain and which is adapted to deliver an extremely sudden concentrated blow laterally of the cable or chain.

'Another object of the invention resides in the provision of an explosive device which tends to.

tion with the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and in which drawing, Figure 1 is a plan view of a preferred form of the device, a portion thereof being shown in section.

Figures'2 and 3 are longitudinal and transverse sectional views taken substantially on the lines 2-2 and 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a plan view of a modified form of the device, with portions shown in section.

Figure 5 is an end elevation of the device shown in Figure 4.

40 annular shoulder 3|.

nates a preferred form of the device and B designates a modified form thereof. v

The device A includes a cylindrical body l0 provided at its forward end portion II with any suitable means |2 for releasably securing a continuous sweep cable I 3 transversely of the forward end portion. In the example shown, the cable |3 is clamped between a portion l llaterally offset from the forward end portion and a jaw l5 removably fastened to the laterally ofiset portion as by a screw l 6. Removably secured'to the cable l3 at opposite sides of the device-A, as by screws H, are companion clamp members |8 providing outwardly tapering frusto-conical surfaces I9 for guiding the mine mooring cable or chain 20 from thesweep cable I 3 to the forward end of the device.

Formed in the forward end portion of the cy- 'lindrical body is a longitudinal chamber 2| for a receiving a waterproof blank cartridge 22 pro- 90 vided with a flanged inner end 23. A portion 24 of the cylindrical body may be laterally withdrawn, upon removal of a taper pin 25, to provide for the insertion and removal of the cartridge 22.

, Formed in the rear end portion of the cylin- 35 drical body is a longitudinal chamber 26 separated from the cartridge chamber 2| by a transverse wall 21 provided with an opening 28. Reciprocable in the chamber 26 is a firing pin 29 provided near its reduced forward end 30 with an The rear end of the firing pin chamber 26 is closed by a removable plug 32. Encircling the firing pin 29 between the shoulder 3| and plug 32 is an expansion coil spring 33 urging the pin into cartridge firing 5 position wherein its reduced end 30 extends through the opening 28. The firing pin 29 may be provided at its rear end with a threaded opening 34 aligning with an access opening 35 in the plug 32. In order to retract the firing pin, a

threaded wire (not shown) may be inserted through the access opening 35 for temporary connection with the firing pin at the threaded opening 34.

Pivotally mounted in a boss 36 at the rear end 5 portion of the cylindrical body I!) is a rock shaft 31 provided at inner end with a pawl 39 normally held, as by a frangible pin 39, in latching relation to the retracted firing pin'29, as shown in Figure 1. At its outer end, the rock shaft 31 is provided with a preferably integral trigger arm 40 including a forwardly extending portion 4| transverse- 1y intersecting the pa h of ave o the moorin cable or chain and a laterally bent end portion 42 tending to prevent sliding of the mooring chain ofi the end of the trigger. The operation of the device A will now be de '1 In an explosive device for parting a successcribed, assuming that the parts are initially set as shown in Figure 1. Upon engagement of the sweep cable l3 with a mine mooring chain 20, the usual sliding movement of the chain 2il'along the sweep cable i3 will bring the chain into engagement with the trigger arm 40. When themoorsion of mine mooring cables during mine sweep- I ing operations wherein said mooring cables are ing chain 20 arrives in front. of the cartridge chamber 2|, the trigger arm will have retracted. the pawl 38 after breaking the frangible pin 39 so as 'torelease the firing pin and fire the cartridge'. Since the mooring chain is tensioned by the buoyancy of the mine, the sudden force of the explosion directed laterally against a restricted portion of its length will act to produce asharp ldcalbend therein, thereby tending to break or snap the chain at a time when it is weakened by the heat of the explosion.

The device B is somewhat similar to the form of device A, except that. it. is adapted to: successively break a plurality of mine mooring cables or chains without reloading. The frame is provided with means l2 and I8, similar to that of the. device A, for releasably and adjustably se curing the device B to. the sweep cable l3. Revs olubly mounted in the frame 50, as by a pivot bolt 5,l; i s -a cylinder 52 provided with a plurality of cartridge chambers 53, such as illustrated in the Q Q .t NQ- 8 .1,.807. Secured for swingi movement; within the frame between retracted and advanced positions, as by a. pivot. 54, is a, amme 55 provi ed with a firin p n 1- ient mean such as the expansion, coil spring 5.! u ge h hamm 55 toward its advanced posit-ion. Pivoted in the frame 50 is a rockshaft 58: provided at its inner end with a cocking arm, 59; coo ra in v the u l ann r with a cockin ev 6 t pi t d. a i to the hammer 5,5. The;

(locking. a -11, s; e n w 52. for successively disposing the cartridgefihambers; 5,3. in cooperative relationship with the firing mechanism. at its outer end the rookshaft. 58 isprovidedwith a trigger arm 53 which extends forwardly into. the path. of travel oi the mooring chain relative tothe sweep cable. En ircling the. rockshaft 5.8 isv ahelical coil spring 64 having its outer end-v anchored .in the rockshatt and its inner endsecured to. the, frame so as to urge the. trigger arm 6,3, toward the, position shown in Figure The operation of the, device B will now bode,- scribed, assuming the parts to be initially posi tioned as shown in Figure 4. A the trigger arm 63, is swung in a clock-wise direction, by engagement of the mooring chain; 2l1 therewith, the,-

cocking arm 59. engages the cocking lever 60 to retract the, hammer 55 against. the resistance of the, spring 51'. At. thesame time, the pawl 62 turns the cylinder 52. to dispose one Of the cartridge chambers, 53, in. ali nment with, the firing pin. Figure 6 shows, in broken lines the, rela-- tionship of parts, prior torele'ase. oi the hammer. p f e j mo eme t of. the trig er and 63., the cocking arm 59' disengages the lever 60 to release the hammer 55 and fire the cartridge, under the influence of the spring 51.

Various changes may be made in the forms of: invention herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of: the invention or the scope of the following claims. v

slidably engaged by a sweep cable, said mine mooring cables being subjected to tension due to the buoyancy of the mines, a cylinder provided with chambers for receiving explosive cartridges, means revolubly mounting the cylinder on the sweep cable so that said cartridges may be successively disposed adjacent and aimed at a point in the path of travel of the mooring cable relative to the sweep cable, means for successively disposing said cartridges adjacent said point and means for firing said cartridges as successive mooring cables reach said point, whereby said mooring cables, under tension, are subjected, in a section of restricted length, to explosive heat and sharp localized bending force tending to blow the mooring cables apart.

2. In an explosive device for parting a. mine mooring cable slidably engaged by a sweep cable during mine sweeping operations, said mooring cable being subjected to longitudinal tension due to buoyancy of the mine and to dynamic forces upon engagement of the sweep cable with the mooring cable, a body provided with an explosion chamber having a normally unobstructed discharge opening, an explosive charge occupying said chamber, means-securing said body to the sweep cable with said normally unobstructed discharge opening adjacent a point in the path of travel of said mooring cable along said sweep cable, whereby said mooring cable, upon reaching said point, obstructs said discharge opening, and means for firing said charge upon the arrival of said mooring cable at said point, whereby the mooring cable, under tension, is subjected, in a section of restricted length, to explosive heat and sharp localized. bending force tending to blot: the. mooring. cable apart.

3. In an explosive device for parting a suc cession of mine mooring cables during minesweeping operations wherein said mooring cables during mine sweeping operations are slidably e gaged by a. sweep cable, said mooring cables being subjected to longitudinal tension due to. the buoyancy of the mines and to dynamic, forces upon engagement of the. sweep cable with the mooring cable, a cylinder provided with chem-r bers for receiving explosive, cartridges, each of said chambers having a discharge opening, means revolubly .rnounting. thev cylinder on the sweep cable so that said discharge openings may be successively disposed adjacent, a, point in the path of travel of the mooring cable relative to the sweep cable, meansfoirv revolving. the cylinder to successively dispose sai'dxdi'scharge openings adjacent said point, and means for firing said cartridges as successive mooring cables reach. said point, said mooring cables uponsuccessive arrival at said point, obstructing said openings, whereby said mooring cables, under tension, are each successively subjected, in a section of restricted length, to explosive heat and sharp. localized bending force tending to blow the mooring cables. apart.

BERNARD A. 

